This invention relates to data processing systems. More specifically, the invention is concerned with management of a data processing system comprising a large number of managed objects. The invention is particularly, although not exclusively, applicable to a distributed data processing network comprising a number of individual end-systems, each of which comprises a number of managed objects.
By a managed object is meant an object that is required to be managed by an operator or system administrator. Such managed objects may include, for example, individual processing elements, file systems, communications facilities, database services, and so on.
A problem with such a system is that the operator's view of the system can be very complex, and the operator requires a considerable degree of skill to monitor and to react to events in the system.
The object of the present invention is to provide a means for reducing such problems.